Benoy K. Behl's documentary, Ramayana: The Greatest Epic, takes one to India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Lao PDR, Cambodia, Myanmar, Nepal and Indonesia to document and tell the story of this great epic through multi-religious, international cultural performances. Generations of children have learned the vast story of the “Ramayana” through the incredibly diverse methods of performance and storytelling. Join the conversation with the director and curator of the exhibition, Forrest McGill.

Students will: 1.) examine the Hindu tradition of pookolam—a three-dimensional threshold art using flowers; 2.) research the harvest festival of Onam celebrated in the southwestern state of Kerala, India; 3.) create an auspicious flower decoration in celebration of Onam

Buddhism has deeply influenced the character and evolution of Asian civilization over the past 2,500 years. It is based on the teachings of a historical figure, Siddhartha Gautama, who lived around the fifth century BCE. As it moved across Asia, Buddhism absorbed indigenous beliefs and incorporated a wide range of imagery, both local and foreign, into its art and religious practices. Buddhism continues to evolve as a religion in many parts of the world.

Islam is one of the world’s major religions. It shares with Judaism and Christianity a belief in a single god. The Arabic name for God is Allah. The word Islam means “surrender (to God).” The followers of Islam are called Muslims, which in Arabic means “one who surrenders to God.”

The word maharaja, which means “great king,” is rooted in the ancient concept of “king above kings” (in Sanskrit, maharajadhiraj). Although rulers were sometimes addressed as “maharaja,” this lofty title was rarely adopted formally until the nineteenth century.

What are often thought of as “Indian” art and culture spread not only throughout the modern nation of India but also through Pakistan and Bangladesh. This huge area was never politically unified except under British colonial rule (1858–1947). Learn more.

Pages

Major support for the Asian Art Museum’s education programs and resources is provided by The Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership, the Koret Foundation, Wells Fargo Foundation, and The Hearst Foundations, Inc.